Apparatus for padding absorbent materials



July 31, 1951 R. s. E. HANNAY ETAL 2,562,457

APPARATUS FOR PADDING ABSORBENT MATERIALS Filed 001;. 5, 1948 Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 a lib-*- I Invenlora A tforneys July 31, 1951 R. s. E. HANNAY EIAL APPARATUS FOR PADDINC ABSORBENT MATERIALS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1948 In uenlora /KJFFAS%YAK%UJM%8K 55M910 041,59 5

Attorneys July 31, 1951 R. s. E. HANNAY ET AL 2,562,457

APPARATUS FOR PADDING 'ABSORBENT MATERIALS Filed Oct. 5, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGS Inventors 4%;(25 1F. Wgflzwna/ 9 /544910 A! f'anewa July 31, 1 951 R. s. E. HANNAY ET AL 2, I

' APPARATUS FOR PADDING ABSORBENT MATERIALS Filed Oct; 5, 1948 5 SheetsSheet 4 A itornevs July 31, 1951 R. s. E. HANNAY ET AL 2,562,457

APPARATUS FOR PADDING 'ABSORBENT MATERIALS Filed Oct. 5, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aitorneys Patented July 31, 1951 APPARATUSFOR PADDING ABSORBENT' MATERIALS:

Robert S'. E; Hannay, Carlisle, and William. Kilby and" Ronald Harry. Edmead, Bolton-lfiS'andSg-i England, assi'gnors to Morton SundourFabrics Limited; Carlis'le, England Application October 551948, Serial No. 52,942 InGreat Britain .Iuly 25, 1947 9'Claims. (Cl; ill-48) This invention'relates. to an apparatus'for carrying outp'addi'hg, dyeing; impregnatingfor like treatment witha treating, liquor (hereinafter and in the claims referred "to simply; as. padding) on cloth, yarn; or other textile; paper, or like absorbent materials in continuous length. The: term ftextil'e materials isLinten'ded to embrace'various materials. as used inthe textile industry, for ex= ample. cotton, wool, rayon; nylon, andother natural or. artificial materials; and fabrics, felt," sheets; Web's or yarns. made from" glass or synthetic. plasticmaterials: The termtextile' is not intended. to restrict the. scope of. the inventionlt' woven material." Such materials are: all hereinafter andin the claims embracediwithin the term .materials.

In the conventional'form of textile padding mangle the material in'the'form of'cloth passes through the liquorzcontain'ed "in a vessel, becoming; saturated'with theliquor; and then passes through a" nip to squeeze out'the excess liquor notrequired for the operation. The extent to which'th'eexcessiliquoris squeezed out can, within limits, be adj usted-byi the. pressure'between the nip rollers:

' In some cases a double nip is 'provided' consist ing of three rollers arranged so that the cloth first" passes'betwe'en the first. and second rollers and subsequentlybetweensthe second and .third rollers:

It is fundamental tothepperationpf'such pad.- ding mangles'that the cloth should, 7 in" its passage through theili'quor; absorbimore liquor than isiultimately'needed; the excess being squeezed out by thenip or nips: When 'the'liquor contains. particles that have anafiinity for the clothor the particles'are of such'a sizethat the cloth acts, as a partial. filter; it is evident. that the liquor squeezed'from thenips and returning to the vessel will be deficient in particles as compared. with the freshliquoriand" the efiect will be a gradual decrease'in' the concentration of particles. in the vessel. Iftheisqueezedliquor flows down the incomingcloththe danger arises. of streaks. due ..to the further absorption ofliquor on certainparts of the cloth in rivulet form and. thereby provide ing. an excessofparticlesinthat zone.

It willbe clear. that ifthe liquor squeezed from the hips can be diverted and collected in another vessel, this. efiect wilLb'e largelyovercome the only diluting efiect then being the-extent towhich the particlestend to .adhereto. the cloth during its passage through the vessel .in. excess .of the correct quantity relative. to the volume of liquor. absorbed.

However, in. most casesisuch. an arrangement woul'clbe Wastefur'as itis" usual "forthe liquor'expressed iromthenipsstillto' contain a: substantial amount of "the particles and these woulwbe wasted or. wouldrequire expensive treat'mentftorestore them'to'the desired density:

In accordance with the present inventionwe' provide: a m'ethodpf padding absorbent material in'continu'ous length'with a treating liquor, com-- prising passing the material through a liquor-bath whichis fedwith'freshliquor at substantially-the samerate as it is takenup from the batlr'by the" materia'l; and maintainingon'lyasmuch liquor'in the bathas wouldbe takerrup by thematerial in a very shorttime-ofpassagetthrough the bath; fbr exam'ple; thirty seconds;

The eff'ectof" this"diminution"inthe bath size is that within a" very "short time of 'startin'gjthe ultimate dilution hastak enpla'ce and aconditiorr of"stability has b'eenrea-ched in which the rate of; for example; particle absorption by cloth isexact- 1y balanced bytherateof input of'the --partic1es' thirouglithefresh liquor-suppl3n Any variation therefore takes placesoiely'inthe first few yards of the process and if objectionable can be over=- comeby theuse of anendcloth;

In further accordance with the invention we provide-apparatusforpadding absorbent-, materialin continuous length, comprising a bath through which the"materia'l' is'radapte'd' to pass; preferablypriorto removalof'excessliquor'there; from; meansf'orff'eeding' freshliquor to saidbatht continuously'oratfrequent"intervals and'means for maintaining the volumeofliquor; in said bath at not morethantthattwhichi woul'dbe tak'enzup: b'ythe"material in a veryjsh'ort time of passage through thefbath, .for example, thirty seconds Preferably provision is made to introduce the fresh. li'qllor into the bath along its Width'. and;

Preferably, the. bath is; so arranged that the.

squeezed. out Jon otherwise removed. excess liquor does I not travel'back acrossthe. incoming; cloth: or material in rivulets.

In- .further accordance-with the present invention we. provide apparatusflf or paddingabsor-bent.

material in continuous: length with. atreating; liquormcharacterisedz by the. factthat. abath. oi. said liquor is formed between-twocoeoperatingl rollers defininga nip through .whichthe. material passes. Preferably the bath is formed at that side of the nip where the material enters the same whereby the nip automatically squeezes excess liquor from the material.

Some embodiments of the apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described simply by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section showing the hitherto conventional single nip padding apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view showing one end of padding apparatus in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2a being a corresponding end elevation but showing the part I4 in dotted lines for clearness.

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2 but of modifications, Figs. 3a and 4a being corresponding respective end elevations but with the parts I4 and Nb shown in dotted lines for clearness.

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are diagrammatic vertical transverse sectional elevations of three other modifications.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a further modiflcation.

Fig. 9 is a diagram partly in section illustrating a means for controlling the supply of treating liquor.

In the various figures like references indicate like parts.

In Fig. '1 which shows the hitherto conventional arrangement, there are two main or nip rollers ll, 12 urged together as indicated by the arrows to form a nip at 28. The material, for example, cloth, is indicated at I! and passes over guide rollers 25 through treating liquor, such as dyestuff, in a bath vessel 26 and then up through the nip at 28. As indicated at 21 the liquor squeezed out at the nip 28 runs back over the cloth and drops again into the bath.

In Figs. 2 and 2a the axes of the two nip rollers ll, I2 are in the same horizontal plane and the bath [3 of liquor is formed in the V-shaped space on the upper side of the nip, the ends of this space being closed as described below.

Each of the rollers at each end is formed with a flange I la, l2a. each defining an annular groove l lb, I2b, and a soft rubber endless belt I4 is borne in guide pulleys l and passes vertically down in line with the bath so as to fill the space between the two roller grooves and thereby seal the bath l 3 at each end. The belt I4 is of considerably greater height than width and is also made a little wider and thicker than the space defined by the two grooves, so that the rubber is squeezed sidewise against the walls of the grooves and against the roller ends. Small variations between the centres of the rollers arising from adjustments of the degree of nip will not, owing to the elasticity of the belt, prejudice the seal. The cloth I! passes vertically through the bath as shown.

The dye or other treating liquor is supplied through pipes IS on each side of the bath and extending the full width of the nip, and each pipe is provided with perforations along its length so that the liquor is supplied evenly throughout the length of the nip, that is, the width of the bath.

At least one of the rollers of the nip is rubber covered, but if very thick cloths have to be processed both rollers must be rubber covered or its equivalent so that a satisfactory seal is provided at the cloth selvedge.

The means for adjusting the supply of fresh liquor may be by manual control or alternatively by automatic means as illustrated in Fig. 9, in which an outer tube 31 dips in the liquor bath I3 and carries an inner tube 29 in which the liquor rises and falls and supports a float 38. The top of the tube 29 carries a closure 30 mounting an electrode 3! connected through leads 32 and a resistance 33 to a relay 34 adapted to actuate a liquor-feed valve 35.

Tube 29 is electrically conductive but closure 30 is of electrically insulating material, while float 38 is also electrically conductive. Thus when fioat 38 contacts electrode 3|, the circuit is completed and the feed valve 35 is closed, while when float 38 drops the circuit is broken and the relay acts to open the feed valve. A warning light 36 may be associated with the feed valve.

In a modification the belt may be arranged to move in a vertical plane containing the nip, as indicated in chain dot lines at I492, instead of as above described in a vertical plane at right angles to the bowl axes.

In another embodiment as in Figs. 3 and 3a the ends of the bath 13 may each be sealed by a somewhat softer rubber ring Ma (shown in horizontal mid section) which fits completely around the groove in one of the rollers and may be secured therein or may be loose. In the region of the nip the ring [4a fills the space between the two opposite grooves in the manner described above. In this case the rubber or other material should be somewhat softer to allow some distortion owing to the difference in speed between the periphery of the ring and the periphery of the groove in the other bowl.

In a further embodiment as in Figs. 4 and 4a, the sealing is effected by mounting at the ends of each roller a ring lb of enlarged section of relatively soft rubber or the like, for example sponge rubber with the outer surface thereof sealed by a covering of thin rubber. The rings are secured to the respective rollers and the peripheries of the two rings at each end squash each other but they are prevented from turning into the nip proper by a guard plate l8 located just above the mp.

Alternatively, pneumatic tubular rings may be used for example of square section.

If the axis of one roller is arranged lower than another, it has been found that even with'the line joining the axes of the two rollers forming an angle of say 45 with the horizontal, it is still possible to retain at the nip a substantially static bath of liquor sufficient for the purposes of the invention.

It will be appreciated that any convenient number of nips in succession may be arranged.

For giving double impregnation to the fabric, three rollers H, l2, l2a may be arranged, as in Fig. 5, with the axes of the first and last in the same vertical plane and the axis of the middle roller l2 staggered relative to the other two, the lines joining the axis of the middle roller with those of the other two rollers being at 45 to the horizontal. The cloth I! passes downwardly to the first nip bath I 3 and then around a guide roller [9 at and enters the lower nip bath 13a. Liquor-feeding pipes l8 are provided at each nip bath above and below the cloth.

In some cases it may be necessary to locate two adjacent rollers with their axes in the same vertical plane, thus rendering it impossible to maintain a static bath. In such case, however, referring to Fig. 6, a shallow trough 20 may be provided to act as a bath vessel and through ,into the nipr and; a ,1iq11OI"ib&th isuthus formed .at

the :nip; :asvthis is formed: only ,whenathei clothzis :grunning .lthere is ino tendency for wthe; bath :to form outside the selvedge of the cloth, aridoivhen rthermachine .stops tthe :liquor; immediately flows .:hack into theibath :VBSSGI. The iliquorslevel is :maintained I as. aforesaid :in :the avessel iby :afeed rpipesl lsfi-rrfeeding along the length thereof.

Obviously anynunibeno'f arrangements of the iioregoingsztypesicanzbelarranged in seriesito provide multiple nips. i

In z-Fig. :7 arezshown 'sthree rollers lil 2, li2-a iforming :betweenithemitwoinip:bathsaof'ithevtype ashownciniFig-fi, oneibeing formed by -eaeh of the ztroug-hsgZdtZOa. z'I-hisarrangement thus forms a :duplieatioh eithe -Figu e arrangement forming a two-nip mangle.

In a further embodiment, in whioh the axes of the two bowls are in the same horizontal plane, as shown in Fig.--8,--an endless-rubber blanket 22 is passed round each of the rollers, each blanket being tensioned-by a--jockey=or guide roller 24. :fijaid, ioekey rollers-are smaller inadiam'eter than the rollers, and the axis of each is arranged substantially in the same plane as the ,axis of the associated roller. The liquor 'is fed into the troughor nip between the-blankets 22 'and'th-e inter-blanket trough 'is -sealed at each si' d e by raised tires "2-3 provided at bot-h edges of each blanket an'd formed either of soft sponge rubber or'of air inflated rubber. Ea'eht-ype is squeezed hard against the co-operating tyre on the other blanket and in this way forms the requisite seal. The distance between the two jockey rollers can be adjusted to vary the width of the trough of liquor.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for padding absorbent material in continuous length with a treating liquor comprising two parallel rollers cooperating to form a nip through which the material is adapted to be passed and at least one resilient endless element at each end of the pair of rollers and movable with the peripheries of the rollers in sealing engagement therewith so as to form a seal at the ends of the nip during rotation of said rollers, said rollers and endless element forming a bath for the treating liquor on one side of the nip through which the material passes into the bath spaced from the rollers until said material reaches the nip of the rollers to treat both sides of the material simultaneously in the passage of the material through the treating liquor.

2. Apparatus for padding absorbent material in continuous length with a treating liquor comprising two parallel rollers, said rollers cooperating to form a nip through which the material is adapted to be passed and forming a space between said two cooperating rollers on the intake side to said nip to receive a bath of treating liquor, means for feeding fresh liquor to said bath, means for maintaining the volume of fresh liquor in said bath at a predetermined amount, at least one resilient endless element at each end of the pair of rollers, said elements being movable with the peripheries of the rollers and in 6 zsealin z'ien agement itherewithrsoaas to form-ta usealiatrthe' endsizof the ,bath during :rotationsdf isaidrrollers, and means for .:feedin zthe;material jtOT-the';IOHQI'SJOMtLDfJCQIltfiGtithfirewith untilisaid 5 material reaches';the ,-nip1of zthejtollerssso aseto --treat both sides of the material simultaneously.

:3. Apparatus rfor padding 'iabsorbent :ematerial continuou slength with .a ctr-eating iliquorr comprisingitwo parallel :rollers, ;:said' rollers z'cooperate l ingato iormpa nip throughwwhich the material'zis ,20 predetermined amountgat least onefiresilient endless element at each end of the pair of railers, said elements -being movable with the periph- -eries of i-the rollers :while remaining -in sealing engagement :therewith, so as 'to form a $8631 at the ends of the bath during rotation of said -rol1ers,=and:-means .-for feeding the material to -the rollers out of contact-therewith until aid m-aterial reaches the nip of -'-the rol-l'ers so a s' to "treat both sides of=the materia1 simultaneously.

: 0 4. -"Apparatus for padd in'g absorbent 'matei ial incontinuous length 1 with a "treating 'liquor cornprising two cooperating rollers, -t-he axes or id "rollers being parallel-anddisposed ina hori-Zontal plane, said rollers cooperating to form a'aiip th-rough -which 'the material is'adaptedto pass,

means for guiding saidzmaterial -to the nip from above in a vertical plane at an angle- 'siibstarb tiallyecu-ialuto 90 with-respect to thehorizorltal p lanedefined by the axesof *said rollerspsaid l U *rol'lels in-a space --above-the nip forming a bath for a 1 treating liquor for-med '--between-- -sa-id two cooperating horizontal rollers above said nip, means for feeding fresh liquor into said bath on both sides of said vertical plane throughout the width of the nip, means for maintaining the volume of fresh liquor in said bath at a predetermined amount, and at least one resilient endless element at each end of the pair of rollers, said elements being movable in cooperation with the 5 peripheries of the rollers while remaining in sealing engagement therewith so as to form a seal at the ends of the bath during rotation of the rollers, said material being fed through said bath to said nip and out of contact with the rollers until said material reaches said nip so as to simultaneously treat both sides of said material.

5. Apparatus for padding absorbent material in continuous length with a treating liquor comprising three cooperating rollers having identical diameters, the axes of the first and third rollers being in the same vertical plane and the axis of the second roller being in a vertical plane parallel to said vertical plane of said first and third rollers, said second roller being so ar- 5 ranged intermediate said first and third rollers that the plane containing the axes of the first and second rollers is perpendicular to the plane containing the axes of the second and third rollers, said first and second rollers cooperating to define a first nip therebetween and said second and third rollers cooperating to define a second nip therebetween, the entry side of each of said nips between the respective cooperating rollers forming baths through which baths said material is adapted to be passed successively,

means for feeding fresh liquor into each of said baths throughout the widths thereof, means for maintaining the volume of liquor in each of said baths at a predetermined amount, at least one resilient endless element at each end of the first and second, and second and third rollers respectively, said elements being movable in cooperation with the peripheries of the respective cooperating rollers while remaining in sealing engagement therewith so as to form a seal at the ends of the respective baths during rotation of the corresponding rollers, and means for guiding the material to said successive first and second nips at an angle substantially equal to 90 with respect to the planes defined by the axes of said first and second, and said second and third rollers respectively whereby said material is fed through said baths to said nips and out of contact with said rollers until said material reaches said nips so as to simultaneously treat both sides of said material.

6. Apparatus for padding absorbent material in continuous length with a treating liquor comprising two nip rollers disposed side by side, two guide rollers parallel to and spaced from said nip rollers and laterally spaced from one another, two endless resilient blankets, one of said blankets passing around one of said nip rollers and said guide rollers and the other of said blankets passing around the other of said nip rollers and guide rollers respectively, said blankets cooperating to form a nip between said two nip rollers and defining a V-shaped area immediately above said nip to receive a bath of treating liquid in said V-shaped area directly above said nip, means for supplying fresh liquor into said bath throughout the width thereof, means for maintaining the volume of liquor in said bath at a predetermined amount, resilient tires along the edges of each of said blankets, said tires located along the edges of one blanket 8 cooperating in sealing engagement with the respective tires located along the edge of the other blanket to form a seal for the ends of the bath, and means for feeding the material to the nip and out of contact with said blankets until said material reaches the nip so as to treat both sides of the material simultaneously.

'7. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which each roller is provided with a groove at each end thereof and the resilient element is in the form of a single rubber belt rotating in the adjacent grooves of the two rollers at the nip thereof.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which a resilient element in the form of a rubber band is provided on each end of each roller so that two adjacent bands cooperate to contact each other at the nip of the rollers.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which a guide roller is provided for each roller and a resilient element in the form of a rubber band is provided on each end of each of said parallel rollers and passing over the respective guide roller so that two adjacent bands cooperate to contact each other at the nip of the parallel rollers.

ROBERT S. E. HANNAY. WILLIAM KILBY. RONALD HARRY EDMEAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,153,245 Nivling Sept. 14, 1915 2,015,531 Montgomery Sept. 24, 1935 2,257,113 George Sept. 30, 1941 2,337,390 Hinkamp et a1. Dec. 21, 1943 

